Reversible ready-made diaper



Sept. 26, 1950 I s, GEESUN 2,523,989

REVERSIBLE READY-MADE DIAPER Filed Mardh 12, 1949 INVENTOR. SYB I L,BURKE GEESLIN ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 7 2,523,989 REVERSIBLE READY-MADE DIAPER Sybil Burke Geeslin,Decatun Ga assignor to Perdue Manufacturing 00., Inc.,' Athens, Ga., a'corporation of Georgia j Application March 12, paganism-81,073

This invention relates to diapers for infants, and more particularly toa reversible, ready-made diaper. 1 V

The universal garment for babies, usedas a diaper, is a piece of fabricwhich is folded and bound about the loins of the baby where it is heldby a number of safety pins.

An object of my invention is to provide a ready-made diaper which isadjustable in size and eliminates the use of safety pins.

Another object of my invention is to provide a diaper of novel shape inwhich the usual bunching of a large portion of the fabric between thelegs is eliminated, thus preventing irritation, hindrance in walking,and undesirable spreading of the legs.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ready-made diaper, of aplurality of thicknesses of material, which is reversible and may beworn with equal facility with either side in contact with the baby.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ready-made diaper whichis simple and inexpensive to manufacture, efiicient and comfortable inuse, easy to launder, which dries readily, and is durable in use. 7,Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will beapparent from the following specification taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which like characters of reference designatcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the obverse side of a diaper embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the reverse side of the diaper shown in Fig. 1.

, Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing one method of folding the diaperfor use.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation showing the diaper reversed, illustratinganother method of folding, and having a corner turned back to show theplies of fabric.

lhe reversible, ready-made diaper according to my invention is made in anovel keystone shape, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and embodies aplurality of plies or layers of keystone-shaped blanks ll), NJ, Illbound together along their two sides ll, H and their short bottom edge12. The longer top edge I3 is left open and the plies are not boundtogether to provide for free circulation of air to the interior tofacilitate rapid drying after the diaper is laundered. The novelkeystone shape of my diaper eliminates the uncomfortable bunching of alarge portion of the fabric between the infants legs, as happens whendiapers of conventional shapes are-used. My diaper provides a soft,absorbent 6 Claims. (01. 128-234) 7 2 pad at this point, but eliminatesuncomfortable chafing and harmful spreading of th limbs. As

in the ordinary diaper, my diaper may be made from soft cotton gauzefabric commonly known as diaper cloth. a

A plurality of fastening means, such as the ordinary snapfastener-parts, are secured in each of the four corners of my diaper. Inthe upper left-hand corner of the diaper shown in Fig. 1, a pluralit offemale snap fastener parts M are illustrated, three being used in theillustration; and in the upper right-hand corner of the diaper shown inFig. 1, three similar female snap fast ener parts Hi are shown. In eachof the lower corners, but on the reverse side of the diaper, a pluralityof similarly spaced male snap fastener parts [5, l5 are secured inplace. It is immaterial at which end the male and the female parts ofthe fasteners are placed, and other suitable types of fasteners may beused.

The fastener parts l4, [4' are placed in line and are spaced similarlyto the cooperating fastener parts l5, l5 respectively, which are alsoplaced in line; however, it will be observed that the line'of thefastener parts 15, I5 running from the lower corners of the diaperdeparts upwardly from the short bottom edge less than 45, whereas theline of the fastener parts I4, I4 running from the upper corners of thediaper departs downwardly from the longer top edge less than 30 and muchless than the angle of departure of the fastener parts from the bottomedge. This arrangement assures a snug and comfortable fit, and permitscomplete adjustment to size.

My diaper is completely reversible, thus permitting either side of thediaper to be used next to the infant, and assuring longer wear in theevent one side should become torn. Starting with the diaper in theposition shown in Fig. l, the diaper is folded for use by first foldingthe entire lower portion of the diaper upward, and thus folding't-he twoupper corners across the lower portion and engaging the snap fasteners,as shown in Fig. 3. Starting with the diaper in the position shown inFig. 2, the diaper is folded for use by first folding the upper cornersdownward, and then folding the entire lower portion up over the foldedcorners and engaging the snap fasteners, as shown in Fig. 4. A snug fitis assured, and my diaper is equally comfortable and effective in eitherof the folded positions. There are no projections beyond the straightsides; no draw strings or elastics are used, and yet my diaper isadjustable to varioussizes in both folded positions by simply matchingthe cooperating parts of-the snap fasteners so'that either one, or two,

straight line from said top edge to said bottom Y edge, a plurality offastening meansarranged in each of the upper corners on one side of thebody portion, and a plurality of fastening means arranged in each of thelower corners on the opposite side of the body portion whereby saiddiaper may be fastened by said fastening means by placing said diaper inposition with the fastening means on the underside of saidlowercorners,folding the bottom edge ofthe diaper up over the body portionand'then folding each of the upper corners over the bottom edge andengaging the fasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in thecorresponding lower corners, and said diaper may also be fastened bysaid fastening means by reversing the diaper to place the fasteningmeans on the topside of said lower corners, folding the upper cornersover the body portion and then folding the bottom edge of the diaper upover the body portion and said folded upper corners and engaging thefasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in the correspondinglower corners, said fastening means being arranged in lines andsimilarly spaced in the lines for cooperation of the fastening means inthe upper corners with the fastening means in the lower corners wherebysaid fastening means may be overlapped for engagement of a plurality offasteners in corresponding lines to conform the diaper to a small sizeand a lesser number of said fasteners may be overlapped and engaged toconform the diaper to a larger size, the lines of fastening means in thelower corners departing upwardly from the short bottom edge, and thelines of fastening means in the upper corners departing downwardly fromthe top edge much less than the angle of departure of the fasteningmeans from the bottom edge so as to form a smooth fitting reversibleready-made diaper in which either side of the garment can be used nextto the wearer.

2. A diaper comprising a substantially keystone-shaped body portionformed of a plurality of plies of diaper cloth having a short bottomedge, a longer top edge and sides tapering along a substantiallystraight line from said top edge to said bottom edge, a plurality offastener parts secured in each of the upper corners on one side of thebody portion, and a plurality of cooperating fastener parts secured ineach of the lower corners on the opposite side of the body portion,whereby said diaper may be fastened by said fastening means by placingsaid diaper in position with the fastening means on the underside ofsaid lower corners, folding the bottom edge of the diaper up over thebody portion and then folding reach of the upper corners over thebottom-edgeand-engaging the fasteners in the upper corners with thefasteners in the corresponding lower corners, and said diaper may alsobe fastened by said fastening means by reversing the diaper to place thefasteningmeans-on the topside of said lower corners, folding the uppercorners over the body portion and :then folding 4 the bottom edge of thediaper up over the body portion and said folded upper corners andengaging the fasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in thecorresponding lower corners, said fastener parts being arranged in linesand spaced in the lines for cooperation of the fastener parts in theupper corners with the fastener parts in the lower corners whereby saidfastening means may be overlapped for engagement of a plurality offasteners in corresponding lines to conform the diaper to a small sizeand a lesser number of said fasteners may be overlapped and engaged toconform the diaper to a larger size, the lines of fastener parts in thelower corners departing upwardly from the short bottom edge less than45, and the lines of fastener parts in the upper corners departingdownwardly from the top edge less than 30 and much less than the angleof departure of the fastener parts from the bottom edge so as to form asmooth fitting reversibie diaper in which either side of the garment canbe used next to the wearer.

3. A diaper comprising a substantially keystone-shaped body portionformed of a plurality of plies of diaper cloth having a short bottomedge, a longer top edge and sides tapering along a substantiallystraight line from said top edge to said bottom edge, a plurality offastening means secured in each of the upper corners on one side of thebody portion, and a plurality of fastening means secured in each of thelower corners on the opposite side of the body portion whereby saiddiaper may be fastened by said fastening means by placing said diaper inposition with the fastening means on the underside of said lowercorners, folding the bottom edge of the diaper up over the body portionand then folding each of the upper corners over the bottom edge andengaging the fasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in thecorresponding lower corners, and said diaper may also be fastened bysaid fastening means by reversing the diaper to place the fasteningmeans on the topside of said lower corners, folding the upper cornersover the body portion and then folding the bottom edge of thediaper upover the body portion and said folded upper corners and engaging thefasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in the correspondinglower corners, said fastening means being arranged in lines and spacedin the lines for cooperation of the fastening means in the upper cornerswith the fastening means in the lower corners whereby said fasteningmeans may be overlapped for engagement of a plurality of fasteners incorresponding lines to conform the diaper to a small size and a lessernumber of said fasteners may be overlapped and engaged to conform thediaper to a larger size, the lines of fastening means in the lowercorners departing upwardly from the short bottom edge less than 45, andthe lines of fastening means in the upper corners departing downwardlyfrom the top edge less than 36 and much less than the angle of departureof the fastening means from the bottom edge so as to form a smoothfitting reversible diaper in which either side .of the garment can beused next to the wearer.

4. A diaper comprising a substantially keystone-shaped body portionformed of a plurality of plies of diaper cloth having a short bottomedge, a longer top edge and sides tapering along a substantiallystraight line from said top edge to said bottom edge, a plurality offastening means secured in each .of the upper corners on one side -ofthe body portion, and a-plurality of fastening means secured in each ofthe lower corners on the opposite side of the body portion whereby saiddiaper may be fastened by said fastening means by placing said diaper inposition with the fastening means on the underside of said lowercorners, folding the bottom edge of the diaper up over the body portionand then folding each of the upper corners over the bottom edge andengaging the fasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in thecorresponding lower corners, and said diaper may also be fastened bysaid fastening means by reversing the diaper to place the fasteningmeans on the topside of said lower corners, folding the upper cornersover the body portion and then folding the bottom edge of the diaper upover the body portion and said folded upper corners and engaging thefasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in the correspondinglower corners, said fastening means being arranged in straight lines andsimilarly spaced in the lines for cooperation of the fastening means inthe upper corners with the fastening means in the lower corners wherebysaid fastening means may be overlapped for engagement of a plurality offasteners in corresponding lines to conform the diaper to a small sizeand a lesser number of said fasteners may be overlapped and engaged toconform the diaper to a larger size, the lines of fastening means in thelower corners departing upwardly from the short bottom edge less than45, and the lines of fastening means in the upper corners departingdownwardly from the top edge,

less than 36 and much less than the angle of departure of the fasteningmeans from the bottom edge so as to form a smooth fitting reversiblediaper in which either side of the garment can be used next to thewearer.

5. A diaper comprising a substantially keystone-shaped body portionformed of a plurality of plies of diaper cloth having a short bottomedge, a longer top edge and sides tapering along a substantiallystraight line from said top edge to said bottom edge, said plies beingbound together along their two sides and short bottom edge, a pluralityof fastening means secured in each of the upper corners on one side ofthe body portion, and a plurality of fastening means secured in each ofthe lower corners on the opposite side of the body portion whereby saiddiaper may be fastened by said fastening means by placing said diaper inposition with the fastening means on the underside of said lowercorners, folding the bottom edge of the diaper up over the body portionand then folding each of the upper corners over the bottom edge andengaging the fasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in thecorresponding lower corners, and said diaper may also be fastened bysaid fastening means by reversing the diaper to place the fasteningmeans on the topside of said lower corners, folding the upper cornersover the body portion and then folding the bottom edge of the diaper upover the body portion and said folded upper corners and engaging thefasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in the correspondinglower corners, said fastening means being arranged in straight lines andsimilarly spaced in the lines for cooperation of the fastening means inthe upper corners with the fastening means in the lower corners wherebysaid fastening means may be overlapped for engagement of a plurality offasteners in corresponding lines to conform the diaper to a small sizeand a lesser number of said fasteners may be overlapped and engaged toconform the diaper to a larger size, the lines of fastening means in thelower corners departing upwardly from the short bottom edge less than45, and the lines of fastening means in the upper corners departingdownwardly from the top edge less than 30 and much less than the angleof departure of the fastening means from the bottom edge so as to form asmooth fitting reversible diaper in which either side of the garment canbe used next to the wearer.

6. A diaper comprising a substantially keystone-shaped body portionformed of a plurality of plies of diaper cloth having a short bottomedge, a longer top edge and sides tapering along a substantiallystraight line from said top edge to said bottom edge, said plies beingbound together along their two sides and short bottom edge, the longertop edge being left open for the circulation of air, a plurality offastening means secured in each of the upper corners on one side of thebody portion, and a plurality of fastening means secured in each of thelower corners on the opposite side of the body portion whereby saiddiaper may be fastened by said fastening means by placing said diaper inposition with the fastening means on the underside of said lowercorners, folding the bottom edge of the diaper up over the body portionand then folding each of the upper corners over the bottom edge andengaging the fasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in thecorresponding lower corners, and said diaper may also be fastened bysaid fastening means by reversing the diaper to place the fasteningmeans on the topside of said lower corners, folding the upper cornersover the body portion and then folding the bottom edge of the diaper upover the body portion and said folded upper corners and engaging thefasteners in the upper corners with the fasteners in the correspondinglower corners, said fastening means being arranged in straight lines andsimilarly spaced in the lines for cooperation of the fastening means inthe upper corners with the fastening means in the lower corners wherebysaid fastening means may be overlapped for engagement of a plurality offasteners in corresponding lines to conform the diaper to a small sizeand a lesser number of said fasteners may I be overlapped and engaged toconform the diaper to a larger size, the lines of fastening means in thelower corners departing upwardly from the short bottom edge less than45, and the lines of fastening means in the upper corners departingdownwardly from the top edge less than 30 and much less than the angleof departure of the fastening means from the bottom edge so as to form asmooth fitting completely reversible diaper in which either side of thegarment can be used next to the wearer.

SYBIL BURKE GEESLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,716,065 Kiamie June 4, 19291,865,541 Reynolds July 5, 1932 1,931,357 Potwin Oct. 17, 1932 2,271,676Bjornbak Feb. 3, 1942 2,347,867 Alban May 2, 1944

